An aging population carries with it an increased risk for injuries and deterioration of tissue and bone. Similarly, the more physically active a population is, the more its members put themselves at risk for these types of harm to their bodies.
Some of these injuries will result in the deterioration, chipping, displacement or otherwise removing of pieces of bone. When bone is removed, a bone void is left in its place, which can result in both pain an structural weakness.
Both medical practitioners and patients would prefer to have the bone voids filled. However, when selecting materials to fill these voids one must be mindful of at least three things. First, one would prefer to use a material that can be sufficiently load-bearing. Second, one would prefer to use a material that can be manipulated into a desired size and shape. Third, one would prefer to use a material that facilitates natural bone growth and/or grafting.
Injectable cements are known products for filling bone voids with which medical practitioners that are skilled in this art are familiar. Because of their formulations, they can be manipulated and formulated to provide desirable load-bearing in voids in which they are inserted. Unfortunately, known technologies do not sufficiently optimize natural bone growth, while bearing the desired loads.
Accordingly, there is a need for novel and non-obvious injectable settable cements that provide an acceptable level of structural support while permitting bone regrowth.